Key Point Summary – Hoarder’s House Ex-Cop Found
- Skeletal remains of ex-cop Mary Notarangelo found in home
- Her body was buried under trash, feces, and dead animals
- Police video shows ceiling-high piles of garbage
- Officers wore hazmat suits due to extreme contamination
- Notarangelo had been missing since July 2024
- Her last text described serious illness before vanishing
- Cause of death remains undetermined
Grisly Scene in the Woods of Glastonbury
What began as a welfare check quickly spiraled into one of the most disturbing crime scene discoveries in Connecticut history. The skeletal remains of retired Bridgeport police detective Mary Notarangelo, 73, were unearthed beneath mountains of trash, human waste, and decomposing animals inside her remote Glastonbury home.
Newly released police bodycam footage shows officers struggling just to get through the front door, which was jammed shut by garbage pressing up from inside. The nauseating video was obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request and released by CT Insider. What officers found inside left them speechless.
“You Can Taste the Foulness”
The footage, mostly shot in July 2024, shows a hoarder’s nightmare. Used toilet paper, soda cans, rotting food, and plastic bottles litter every inch of the space. Piles of filth reach the ceiling. Amid the squalor, a lone cat—somehow still alive—was rescued. Officers also discovered dead birds and mice among the wreckage.
“You can taste the foulness in your mouth,” one officer said while surveying the scene. Another declared, “It’s literally filled with used toilet paper and feces. It’s just not safe.”
Workers in full hazmat suits and masks were brought in to navigate the overwhelming biohazard. Their task was to locate any sign of the retired officer—without knowing she was already dead and buried within the very garbage they sifted through.
A Detective’s Life Ends in Silence
Mary Notarangelo, once a respected member of the Bridgeport Police Department, had vanished without a trace. A friend reported her missing in July 2024 after noticing unopened bird seed—meant for her cherished pet birds—piling up outside the house. She hadn’t been heard from in weeks.
The last text she sent was haunting. Dated around June 12, 2024, it mentioned that she had fallen, was vomiting, and suffering from abdominal pain. Then, nothing.
Despite her dedicated service—including promotions to detective in 1992 and sergeant in 1993—Notarangelo’s life ended in utter isolation. Friends told police she had struggled since being forced into early retirement after an on-duty car crash left her with debilitating injuries to her back and legs.
Eight Months Buried Beneath Rot
Her skeletal remains were found in February 2025—eight long months after her last known communication. The discovery was made during a deep search of the home’s lower levels, where piles of waste had to be moved carefully to avoid structural collapse.
Despite the horrific conditions, police initially didn’t know they were standing over a corpse. It wasn’t until hazmat teams dug deeper into the garbage-laden interior that the remains were revealed. Even then, the house’s contamination slowed the recovery process.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Connecticut has been unable to determine a definitive cause or manner of death due to the advanced state of decomposition.
The Worst Hoarding Case Yet
“This is one of the worst we’ve ever seen,” Glastonbury Police Department spokesman Kevin Szydlo told WTNH. He confirmed that police had encountered severe hoarding situations before, but none that involved a death hidden for so long—let alone the remains of one of their own.
The isolated location of the home likely contributed to the tragedy. Nestled deep in the woods and nearly invisible from the road, the house had its windows boarded up and no clear sign of life. It became a tomb.
Community in Shock
The horrifying discovery has left the town of Glastonbury stunned. Neighbors say they had no idea the situation was so extreme. “We knew she kept to herself,” one local said, “but no one imagined she was living like that.”
Former colleagues in Bridgeport have also spoken out, expressing grief over how Notarangelo’s life ended. “She gave years to the force,” one retired officer commented. “She didn’t deserve to go out like this.”
Online, the reaction has been a mix of horror and sorrow. Some are calling for better welfare checks on elderly and disabled residents. Others are urging new mental health initiatives to identify and support hoarders before it’s too late.
No Answers, Only Questions
There is no evidence of foul play, but many are left wondering how such a tragedy could go unnoticed for so long. Why didn’t anyone push harder when she stopped answering calls? Why wasn’t there a check when the bird seed deliveries piled up?
The case has reignited conversations about elder care, mental illness, and societal responsibility. If a retired officer can die buried in her own home, how many others are at risk?
A Lonely End to a Hero’s Story
In the end, Mary Notarangelo’s story is as heartbreaking as it is shocking. A former detective, once committed to uncovering the truth, became the center of a chilling mystery herself. Her final months were filled with pain, isolation, and ultimately—darkness.
Authorities say there are no signs of criminal activity, but the emotional toll on the community is undeniable. Investigators, neighbors, and former colleagues alike are left with the same chilling thought: how did no one know?
Her death may remain medically unexplained, but the story of her life—and her horrifying final chapter—will not be forgotten.